Cigar-bunch moistener for cigar machines



Sept. 29, 1925. 1,555,486

R. E. RUNDELL CIGAR BUNCHMOISTENEIR FOR CIGAR MACHINES Filed Dec. 5, 1925 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 29, 1925.

ITED STATES PATNT OFFICE.

RUPERT B. BUNDELL, OF BOOKVILLE CENTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB 1'0 INTERNA- TIONAL GIG-AB MACHINERY COMPANY, A @ORPOBA'I'ION 01' NEW JERSEY.

CIGAR-BUNCH uorsrmma ma 01cm Application fled December 8, 1923. Serial 80. 878,849.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUPERT E. RUNDELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockville Center, county of Nassau, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cigar-Bunch Moistene'rs for Cigar Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a cigar bunch moistener for cigar machines.

In makin fresh bunch cigars bymachinery, a c arge of filleris enclosed ina binder to form a bunch; the bunch so formed is then mani ulated to evenly distribute the filler within the binder; and the ends of the manipulated bunch are then subjected to the action of bunch shapers which compress the bunch ends to give them their permanent form, after which a wrapper is applied to the bunch. The shaper used has coacting jaws which engage the bunch and when the machine is running, the sticky 'uices exuding from the tobacco in the unch accumulate upon the operating surfaces of the shaping elements; con uently the shaping elements must be cleane from time to time, and this entails stoppage of the machine and a decrease in its production.

It has been found that this difliculty can be overcome by moistening the ends of the bunch before they are subjected to the ac tion of the shaplng devices, and the main object of the present invention is the production of a device for so moistening them. With this and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain combinations and constructions which will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically inted out in the claims hereunto appen ed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this s cification and in which like characters reference indicate the same or like parts, .Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of moistening means constructed in accordance with the invention; andFigs. 2 and 3 are detailed views of the moisture applying devices shown in Fig. 1. p

In carrying the invention into eifect, there is provided a support for a cigar bunch,

dampening means normally spaced from said bunch, and means forproducing a rela.-. tively approaching movement of said 'su port an said dampening means to cause t e latter to act on a bunch on said support. These parts may be widelyvaried in com struction within the scope 'of the claims, for the particular device selected to illustrate the invention is but one'of many possible concrete embodiments of the same. The invention therefore is not to be re-, stricted to the raise details of the structure shown an described.

Referring to the drawings, 4 is a support for a cigar bunch of a type well known in the art and operating to transfer a ci ar bunch from a mani ulating device to a ocating device wherem it is positioned endwise, and thence to a shaping device where itsendsare-cOm ressed.

Rising from t e upper surface 5 of the cigar machine bed in connection with which the present device is used, are two standards 6 spaced apart. Each of the standards 6 has an outwardly extendin integral bracket 7, and fast on a short sha 8 journaled in a suitable bearing in. the outer end of one of; the brackets 7 is a lever 9-10. Also fast on the shaft 8 is an arm llpivotally connected at 12 with a connecting'rod 13, the latter being reciprocated by one of the cams of the cigar machine and operative connections.

'To the lower end of the arm of the lever 9-10 is pivoted one end of a link 14. The opposite end of this link is pivoted to an arm 15 fast on a short shaft 16 journaled in a suitable bearing in the outer end of the bracket 7 before referred to, to the left in Fig. 1. By means of the structure just described, re-

ciprocation of the connecting rod 13 will cause the upper ends of the lever 9-10 and of the arm 15 to approach or to retreat fromeach other. The arm 9 of the lever 9-10 .and the arm 15 carries at its upper end a roller 17. Each roller 17 engages a groove 18 in a collar 19 inned on a shaft 20 which is movable in-a ea in the upper end] of each standard 6.

Pinned to adjacent ends of the shafts 20 are locating heads or thimbles 22. When a cigar bunch is brought by the support 4 ring 21 formed into position between the heads 22, it may not be by the s aping mechanism. The approach-. ing movement of the two locating heads 22 is then produced; and since the heads roperly located for further action 4 travel to definite positions "(indicated by no the dotted lines in Fig. 1), a bunch, if not properly located on the su "port, will be first engaged by one of t e heads and pushed to its proper position wherein it touches both heads. The mechanism so far described is old and well known in the art.

For the purpose of moistening the bunch ends to prevent the tobacco uices from sticking to the shaper elements in the next operation, the bunch locating means is pro- .vided with one or more dampeners. With this end in view, each of the'locating heads 22, instead of being solid metal as heretofore, are hollowed out and a felt plug 23 is inserted therein, said plug having a concavity 24 similar in form to that of the old locating heads. Behind this felt plug formed a chamber 25 adapted to contaln a small quantity of water whereby the felt plug 23 is kept moist.

For the purpose of imparting a rotary motion to the heads 22 during their approaching and retreating movements, each of the shafts 20 is provided with a spiral groove 26, and this groove is engaged by a stud 27 threaded into the boss 21 before referred to. By an inspection of Figs. 2 and 3, it will be noted that the width of the groove 26 is greater than the diameter of the stud'27. The purpose of this is as fol= lows: When the approaching'movement of the heads 22 occurs, they are rotated in the direction'in which the binder is wound about the cigar, so that just as the two heads properly locate the cigar bunch, a. slight wiping action of the felt plug 23 on the extreme ends of the bunch occurs. To avoid disturbing the binder at the ends of the bunch 'wide enough to' permit the heads to move back without turning far enough to clear the bunch ends, after which they are rotated in a reverse direction by the engagement of the studs 27 with the grooves 26.

The supply of water in the chamber 25 is very small and means are provided for augmenting this supply. With this end in view, a bracket 28 is mounted in the top of each ofthe bearings 21, and this bracket supports a reservoir 29 containing water and having a gravity valve 30, the lower end of which engages a groove 31 from each head when the heads are in the position shown in Fig. .1 and adjacent thereto. A small aperture 32 is drllled from the bottom of the groove 31 into the chamber 25, so that water may flow from the groove 31 intothe said chamber to augment the supply therein.

The valve 30 is so close a fit in its hearing that water will not run down along the valve stem when the same is at rest. Nevertheless, there is a sufficient clearance between the valve stem and its bearing to permil; delivery of water'from the reservoir 29,

,is kept moist, and accumulation 0 drop by drop, capillary action when the valve is agitated. This agitation occurs end of the valve stem rides off of the same and the valve drops until the upper enlar ed end of the valve completely cuts off the ow of water from the reservoir even by capillary action. Upon the return stroke, or the retreating movement of the heads 22, the lower end of each valve comes into engagement with the conical part of the head 22 and is kicked upward thereby. This action, shakes down a drop of water which finds its way through the aperture 32 into the chamber 25. Thus, the dampening felt plug 23 sticky juices on the shaper elements is prevented withoutmachine stoppage and without decrease of machine production.

Vvhat is claimedis:

1. A cigar bunch moistener comprising a support, a dampener, and means for producing a relative approaching movement of said support and said dampener to cause said dampener to act on a bunch on said support.

2. A cigar bunch moistener comprisin a support, a dampener, and means for movmg sald dampener towards said support to cause said dampener to act ona bunch on said support.

3. A cigar bunch moistener comprising a support, a dampener, and means for produclng a relative approaching movement of said support and said dampener to cause said dampener to act on a bunch on said support, said dampener including an applying member of felt and means for keeping said felt moist.

4. A cigar bunch moistener comprising a support, a dampener, and means for producing a relative approaching movement of said support and said dampener to cause said dampener to act on a bunch on said sup- .port, said dampener including a rocking by a felt disc having a concave operating surface. I

6. A cigar bunch moistener comprising a support, a dampener, and means for producing a relative approaching movement of sa d support and said dampener to cause said thimble forming a liquid reservoir and closed dampener to act on a bunch on said support, port, said dampener including a rocking 10 and an inverted and intermittently-operthimble forming a liquid reservoir and closed ated valve-controlled liquid fountain for by a felt disc having a concave operating supplging liquid to said dampener. surface, and an inverted valve-controlled cigar bunch moistener comprising a liquid fountain intermittently operative to support, a dampener, and means for producreplenish the liquid in said reservoir. ing a relative approaching movement of said In testimony whereof, I have signed my support and said dampener to cause said name to this s cification. dampener to act on a bunch on said sup- UPERT E. RUNDELL. 

